Every county, every town, every family, was in
agitation. --Macaulay.
[1913 Webster]

3. A count; an earl or lord. [Obs.] --Shak.
[1913 Webster]

{County commissioners}. See {Commissioner}.

{County corporate}, a city or town having the privilege to be
a county by itself, and to be governed by its own sheriffs
and other magistrates, irrespective of the officers of the
county in which it is situated; as London, York, Bristol,
etc. [Eng.] --Mozley & W.

{County palatine}, a county distinguished by particular
privileges; -- so called a palatio (from the palace),
because the owner had originally royal powers, or the same
powers, in the administration of justice, as the king had
in his palace; but these powers are now abridged. The
counties palatine, in England, are Lancaster, Chester, and
Durham.

{County rates}, rates levied upon the county, and collected
by the boards of guardians, for the purpose of defraying
the expenses to which counties are liable, such as
repairing bridges, jails, etc. [Eng.]

county — ► NOUN (pl. counties) 1) a territorial division of some countries, forming the chief unit of local administration. 2) US a political and administrative division of a state. 3) (before another noun ) Brit. of or denoting the upper class landed… … English terms dictionary

county — [kount′ē] n. pl. counties [ME counte &LT; OFr conté &LT; ML comitatus, jurisdiction of a count or earl &LT; L comes: see COUNT2] 1. a small administrative district of a country; esp., ☆ a) the largest local administrative subdivision of most… … English World dictionary